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G. E. 000K. FRUIT GATHBRER.

Patented Jan. 25, 1887.

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Ihvrrnn STATES A'IENT GFFICE.

CHARLES COOK, OF SOUTH BYRON, NEYV YORK.

FRUlT-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,451, dated January 25, 1887.

Application filed June 16, 1886. SerialNo. 205,328. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. 000K, of South Byron, county of Genesee, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Fruit-Gatherers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

ure 1 is a plan View, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the line X X of Fig. l.'

To a central frame, composed of the posts D D D, are fastened, by means of flanges I, Fig. 2, sections of castings B, which are bolted or fastened together so as to form a ring, as shown 7 in Fig. 1. Hollow sockets are formed on these sections, and into these sockets the arms A are placed, and are held there by the pins a,which permit the arms to oscillate around them. Two of these sections B, on opposite sides to each other, are also provided with flanges projecting downward, and made so as to fit bars H H, for the purpose of being able to carry the whole apparatus from one place to another. The arms A are curved at their outer ends, as shown in Fig. 2. The posts D are thoroughly padded with any suitable soft material, as shown in section, Fig. 2. Between the posts D D D is hung a bag, f, which reaches down nearly to the basket G, which may also be padded inside. A ring of stout wood or metal, KK, Fig. 2, is placed somewhat above the sections B B, and is somewhat smaller than the ring formed by the sections. To this ring K K are fastened the sheets of canvas or other suitable material, C G O, in such a manner that the adjoining edge of each sheet overlaps the edge of the preceding one, thus forming, as shown in Fig. 1, a complete surface of canvas. In the drawings the shape of this canvas is hexagonal, as shown; but any other shape may be used.' Under these sheets, as shown in Fig. 1, are attached straps of elastic material I) Z) I), provided with buckles or other suitable means for lengthening or shortening them, and placed, as shown, so as to secure the various sheets together. The corners of the sheets 0 are also provided with straps of elastic material and buckles, as shown at c c 0, Figs. 1 and 2. These straps c are fastened to the arms A, so as to hold the sheets 0 taut. Guy-lines h 9, Fig. 2, are fastened to the arms A A and to the posts D D by hooks or eyes, and can be drawn up or loosened at pleasure. To the ring KK, which is heavily padded, is fastened an open spout, e, which hangs down nearly to the basket G. Straps or ropes are fastened to the ring K K and to the sections B B, by means of which the ring K K may be drawn down, if desired. The sheets 0 O 0 thus form a receiver,which inclines toward the center from all sides, as shownin Fig. 2.

' The tops of the posts D D D are held together by a band of metal or other suitable material, and a heavy padding, E, is placed over them, as shown in the drawings. The tops of the posts D D D are raised above the upper edge of the receiver 0 O O. From the heavily-padded top E asheet, (or sheets) FF F, stretches down toward the receiver 0 O C, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and has the ropes or straps d d d fastened to its edge and to the arms A A A, thus giving a means of drawing the hood or sheet F F F taut, if desired.

The purpose of making the arms A Awith the hinge pins a a is to permit them to be folded up like an umbrella, so that the contrivance may be carried in a small compass, if desired. The elastic straps b b b c c c are provided in order to permit the canvas to shrink or expand slightly when moistened, and the buckles are provided to give still greater adjustment. Similarly the guy-lines g h and ropes d d d are merely tied, so as to permit of adjustment.

When it is desired to use the contrivance, it is carried into the orchard. The armsAA A are lowered and fastened to the posts D D D by drawing the guy-lines g h taut. The receiver O O G is stretched thereby and held some distance above the arms, as shown in Fig. 2; The ring K is drawn down, and the ropes d d d are also drawn up hard. The whole contrivance is now raised up by two men by means of the bars H H, and is tilted under the overhanging boughs of the tree to be picked. The size of the receiver 0 O 0 being made large enough to reach from the trunk of the tree against which it is placed out beyond the branches, the fruit above it is now shaken down and drops upon the padded top E, the hood or sheet F FF, or the outer portion of the receiver 0 O C. All these parts consisting of yielding material-such as canvas-the fruit is not bruised. The fruit now rolls down to the opening which is left between the hood or sheet F F F and the receiver 0 G G, as shown in Fig. 2, and thence rolls to the ring K K, where it drops down through the spout e into the basket G, which is placed ready to receive it. The bag f prevents the fruit from striking together when it rolls off the receiver 0 C G. A number of baskets,G, are provided, so that one after the other may be put under the spout e and the shaking kept up continuously.

The whole contrivance is made so low that the falltfrom the spout 6 into the basket G is not high enough to bruise the fruit. It is also purposely kept so low in order to enable one to get under the very low hanging branches of some fruit-trees.

I claima 1. In a fruit-gatherer to be placed beside the trunk of a tree, the combination of an upright frame consisting of two or more padded posts with a receiver, 0 G 0, supported above hinged arms A A A, a hood, F F F, stretched within and above said receiver, and a padded cap, E, on the upright frame, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a fruit-gatherer, of an upright frame consisting of two or more padded posts with a receiver, G GC, supported above hinged arms A A A, a hood, F F F, stretched within and above said receiver, a padded cap, E, on the upright frame, a spout, e, attached to the lowest part of the receiver and surrounding the upright frame, and a padded bag, f, suspended inside this spout, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a fruit-gatherer, of an upright frame consisting of two or more padded posts with a receiver, 00 0, supported above hinged arms A A A, a hood, F F F, stretched within and above said receiver, a padded cap, E, on the upright frame, aspout, e, attached to the lowest part of the receiver and surrounding the upright frame, a padded bag, f, suspended inside this spout, and guylines 9 h, for stretching the receiver, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a fruit-gatherer, of an upright frame consisting of two or more padded posts with a receiver, 0 O 0, supported above hinged arms A A A, elastic straps b b b, for holding the sections of said receiver together, elastic straps c c c, for attaching said receiver to the hinged arms, a hood, F F F, stretched within and above said receiver, a padded cap, E, on the upright frame, a spout, 6, attached to the lowest part of the receiver and surrounding the upright frame, a padded bag,f, suspended inside this spout, and guylines 9 h, for stretching the receiver, substan tially as described.

CHAS. E. COOK. Witnesses:

GEO. B. MALTBY, A. SoRGE, Jr. 

